The Season of Excellence Celebration, Steinway Hall London

This year’s Season of Excellence international piano competition, held at the UK Steinway Hall of London, was a collaborative event joining Keys of Inspiration and the Manhattan Music and Arts Foundation, and hosted by Keys of Inspiration Teacher of the Year Jung Eun Hong from the PS214K Michael Friedsam School in New York, and Keys of Inspiration Teacher Peter James from the Risley Primary School in London.

In addition to the competitors, special guest performers included LLIMF Young Scholar Aiden Zhao, Royal College of Music pianist Mia Pecnik, and the Leeds International Piano Competition 2024 third prize & The Lady Roslyn Lyons bronze medal winner Khanh-Nhi Luong.

We would also like to thank the following institutions for their support and participation:
Risley Avenue Primary School (UK), PS 214 Michael Friedsam School (New York, USA), Thomas A. Edison Elementary School (Boston, USA), PianoX Club (New York, USA), and Voloshka Music Academy | The Educational Center for Ukrainian Children (Warsaw, Poland).

Congratulations to all participants and prize winners, including Gold and Silver Prize recipients.

Junior Division (Ages 8–12)

1st Prize: Parisa Rafieva (11, Grade 6)
Q300 Middle School, New York, USA

2nd Prize: Tasnim Evana (10, Grade 5)
PS 214 Michael Friedsam School, New York, USA

3rd Prize: Aleks Brissett (9, Year 4)
Risley Avenue Primary School, London, UK

Senior Division (Ages 13–17)

1st Prize: Olha Chmil (16, Year 11)
Voloshka Music Academy | The Educational Center for Ukrainian Children, Warsaw, Poland

2nd Prize: Karolina Lialkovska (13, Year 8)
Voloshka Music Academy | The Educational Center for Ukrainian Children, Warsaw, Poland

3rd Prize: Kellen Liu (16, Grade 11)
The Bronx High School of Science, New York, USA